You may sweat excessively, have problems controlling your muscles or actions, or have a fast heart rate.

You avoid settings in which you may come into contact with the feared object or animal. For example, you may avoid driving through tunnels, if tunnels are your phobia. This type of avoidance can interfere with your job and social life.

Exams and Tests

The health care provider will ask about your history of phobia, and will get a description of the behavior from you, your family, or friends.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to help you live your daily life without being impaired by your fears. The success of the treatment usually depends on how severe your phobia is.

Talk therapy is often tried first. This may involve any of the following:

Exposure-based treatment. This involves imagining parts of the phobia working from the least fearful to the most fearful. You may also be gradually exposed to your real-life fear to help you overcome it.

Phobia clinics and group therapy, which help people deal with common phobias, such as a fear of flying.

Certain medicines, usually used to treat depression, may be very helpful for this disorder. They work by preventing your symptoms or making them less severe. You must take these medicines every day. DO NOT stop taking them without talking with your provider.

Medicines called sedatives (or hypnotics) may also be prescribed.

These medicines should only be taken under a doctor's direction.

Your doctor will prescribe a limited amount of these drugs. They should not to be used everyday.

They may be used when symptoms become very severe or when you are about to be exposed to something that always brings on your symptoms.

If you are prescribed a sedative, do not drink alcohol while on this medicine. Other measures that can reduce the number of attacks include:

Getting regular exercise

Getting enough sleep

Reducing or avoiding the use of caffeine, some over-the-counter cold medicines, and other stimulants

Outlook (Prognosis)

Phobias tend to be ongoing, but they can respond to treatment.

Possible Complications

Some phobias may affect job performance or social functioning. Some anti-anxiety medicines used to treat phobias may cause physical dependence.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call for an appointment with your provider if a phobia is interfering with life activities.

Fears and phobias - illustration

Common simple phobias are those involving animals or insects, a fear of high places, a fear of lightning, a fear of flying, or other fears. These are very common in young children, and do not represent an abnormality.

Fears and phobias

illustration

Fears and phobias - illustration

Common simple phobias are those involving animals or insects, a fear of high places, a fear of lightning, a fear of flying, or other fears. These are very common in young children, and do not represent an abnormality.